Road guard



Jan. 5, 1932. y H. T. MOORE 1,839,328

ROAD GUARD Original Filed 'July23, 1930 d: El', l

6/ U4 @5 @FV Imi/672 o 7* 217026Z f Mom/'e I `Patented Jan. 5,1932

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD fr. MOORE, OF OIIICAGO, ILLINOIS, AslsIGNOR 'ro TUTIIILL SPRING COMPANY,

' OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ROAD GUARD Application filed July 3, 1930. Serial No. 465,589.

This-invention relates to a road guard. It has for one object to provide a guard which may be applied along one or both edges of a road to prevent vehicles from running Off. It'has for another object to vprovide a guard of such construction that a vehicle running into it or grazing it will not be injured. Another object isto provide such a guard which isyielding and will tend to cushion the shock of the vehicle against it. Another object is to provide such a guard in which a continuous andv smooth contacting surface is provided against which a vehicle may run and along which it may slide or scrape Without damage to the vehicle or to the guard or' fence.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the specificationy and claims:

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in .the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing my guard in position along a road at a curve;

Figure 2 isa side elevation of a portion of the guard rail construction,

Figure '3 is a side elevation with parts in section, showing one form of the invention;

. Figure 4 is asimilar view showing my invention in modified form;

Figure 5 is a detailed longitudinal cross section showing a joint in the guard member. Like parts are designated by like charac ters, throughout the specification and draw- In y gAS indicates a road surface. The road may, of course, be of any suitable construction. My invention is not limited to association with any particular road surface or construction. Along the road surface orvadjacent it there are positioned a. number of posts B. The posts may be perforated as at B1 and through these perforations a cable or bar B2 may be positioned. While I have 'shown only a single cable, obviously additional cables might be used.

C is a spring element curved as shown. It is preferably attached to the post B adjacent the ground level, Thus any strain or shock transmitted through the spring element to the post B comes upon the post close to the ground and the danger of breaking or dislodging the post is reduced. The spring elements C may be fastened to the posts in any suitable manner as, for example,

y bolts C1, C1. A concave striking or contacting piece is formed preferably of a number of members C2 which are fastened to the springs C by bolt C3 or otherwise. As shown in detail in Figure 5, ifv the striking member is made up of a number of pieces, they are preferably joined butt to butt and at the joint aplate C4t is fastened by rivets C5 or otherwise.

- HElssul-:n

As illustrated in Figure 4, a modified formof spring member is used. This is a spring member D which, throughout the major portion of its length, 'iay be similar to the member C. It is fastened to or mounted upon the fence post, for example by bolts D1, D? and it is provided with a downward-ly and rearwardly curved extension D2. A striking or wearing plate D3 may be added to the post opposite the portion D2 of the spring.

It will be understood that while I have herewith shownand described a practical, operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing materially from. the spirit of my invention and I wish, therefore, thatmy showing be taken asin a sense diagrammatic.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

In either form of the spring shown in Figure 3 or Figure 4, the 'contacting plate orl guard rail presents a continuous and smooth surface toward the road so that a vehicle running off the road sufficiently to strike this guard platewill not contact anything which will directly stop it but will merely run againstV Jand slide or scrape along the railV until the operator has stopped the vehicle or has againbrought it back onto the road surface. In either form, since the rail is spring held bymeans either of the springs C or D, a certain amount .of yielding is' possible. This, of course, tends to cushion the effect of the shock due to the vehicle Contact and thus to protect the vehicle and the guard rail structure.

In the form illustrated in Figure 4, after curred, the curved portion D2 will contact the fence post B or the striking plate D3 the fence spring D has 1n case one is used. `If pressure continues thereafter, the spring part D2 may bev further compressed and bent and thus ai further yielding of the guard rail isY permitted but the resistance to ielding is greater after the been sufficiently bent to bringr the spring portion D2 in contact with either post or with the striking plate D3 upon it. v The cable or barBz, bein situatedl above the vehicle contacting mem er C2, tends to strengthen the fence structure and also in case a vehicle might strike vwith such force as to tip over, it tends to prevent the vehicle from tipping completely over. Thus there is provided in addition to the guard rail, a further safety device which in the case'of extremely violent contact tends to prevent complete tipping'over of the vehicle.

The main vehicle'contacting portion or guard rail .C2 is preferably situated at about the 'height from the ground of'a hub. It is sufficiently wide so that it will be contacted by the hub of almost any standard vehicle. Its width is such as to accommodate vehicles of agood many different axle or'hub heights.

Thus in my invention I provide, upon one side or on both sides of a road, a continuous, smooth and preferably concave ribbon of metal which is preferably of spring steel. This ribbon is set out from the fence posts or'the supporting structure forvit.y It is spring held so that it may yield outwardly. It is of a height to becontact'ed by the hubs of almost all standard vehicles and there is associated with ita cable or upper-safety structure designed to be contacted only lby vehicles which are partially tipped over'and to prevent their further tipping. y

l. In a guard rail construction for roads, a vehicle guard member, a' sufpporting structure therefor, comprisin xed supports, spring supports onisaidh xed supports and attached thereto at a point adjacent the ground surface, said spring supports formedV with a plurality of spring portions, oneY adapted to come into operation when the other has yielded a predetermined degree and thereby to increase resistance to further movement of the guard member.

' 2. In a guard rail construction for roads, a vehicle guard member, a supporting structure therefor, comprising fixed supports, spring supports on said fixed supports and attached thereto at a point adjacent the ground surface said last mentioned supports constituting the sole connection between the guard member and the fixed supports, and a second vehicle guard member carried by said supporting structure and positioned outwardly and upwardly from the road with respect to the position of said mentioned guard member.

3. In a guard rail constructlon for roads,

-a vehicle guard member, formed of spring material, a supporting structure therefor, comprising fixed supports, spring supports on said xed supports and attached thereto at a point adjacent the ground surface` said last mentioned supports constituting the sole connection between the guard member and the fixed supports, and a second vehicle guard member carried by said supporting structure and positioned outwardly and upwardly from the road with respect to the position of said first mentioned guard mem' 4. In a guard rail construction for roads,

fterial, a supporting structure therefor, comprlsing fixed supports, spring .supports on saidfxed supports and attached thereto at a point adjacent the ground surface, said spring supportsformed with a plurality of spring portions, onel adapted to come into operation when the other' has yielded a predetermined degree and thereby to increase resistance to further movement of the guard member, and a second vehicle guard member carried by said supporting struciture.

G. In a guard rail construction for roads, a continuous, smooth surfaced, concave vehicle guard member, formed of spring material, a supporting structure therefor, comprising fixed supports, spring supports on said fixed supports and attached thereto at a point adjacent the ground surface, said spring supports formed with a plurality of' spring portions, one adapted to come into operation when the other has yielded apredetermined degree and thereby to increase resistance to further movement of the guard member, and a second vehicle guard member carried by said supporting structure, and posltioned outwardly and upwardly 'from the road with respect to the position of said first mentioned guard member. y

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 25th day of I une, 1930'.

HAROLD T. MOORE.y 

